Lay All Your Love On Me
by Liferuiners
Summary: Hermione meets a bizarre guy from another planet. He calls his city "Asgard" and claims to need her help. Can she trust him?
1. A Familiar Stranger

_A tall man walks up to me. His clothing is rather bizarre, he isn't dressed like a muggle, nor like a wizard. It looks like he is from some other universe, but that kind of stuff does not exist... or does it?_

_The man, who has gorgeous sky blue eyes, spells words I cannot understand for some reason, but the sincere smile on his face and his soothing voice makes my heart miss a beat._

_He stretches his hand out towards me and I take it, half unconsciously._

_As I grab his hand, something begins to change. The paradisiacal place in which we were was morphed into hell: the sky becomes blood-red, the earth withers and a strange rain begins to fall heavily, burning all the wonderful trees and flowers surrounding us, as an acid._

_I feel my hand, still holding the man's, being pulled, so I look down at him._

_He just fell on his knees, almost helplessly. His handsome face, framed by straight black hair, had lost all of its joy, leaving its place to a terrified expression and teary eyes._

_I kneel too and look at him. As we cross our gazes, a spark lightens up and the man's face twinkles almost imperceptibly._

_I could as well leave him there and go away, after all, I don't even know him, though there is something shining through his eyes that convince me not to do such a thing._

_Our hands tighten, the rain stops._

Hermione woke up suddenly, her heart beating fast, drenched in sweat for the heath and for... eh... what a weird dream she had. Maybe she had only read too much, but that man seemed so real...

She felt like she could still hold his hands and drown in his eyes...

She sighed. It was 7 a.m.

She could have slept a few more hours, but she wasn't sleepy anymore. She sat up and the book that she had abandoned open on her chest the night before, after having closed her eyes "for a few seconds", fell down.

Normally, she would have picked it up and put it back on its shelf, but that morning felt dizzy and made her forget to do even the habitual things.

She opened her fridge and noticed, with disappointment, that it was nearly empty. At least it was a good excuse to have a walk.

She wore a pair of jeans and an old T-Shirt (that was once Ron's, when they still were together) and got out.

She had to hurry if she wanted to avoid the rush hour, so she begun walking fast to the supermarket.

Absently, she bumped into a passer-by. She turned her head to apologize to an unknown face, but found two familiar eyes instead. Without waiting any further, the man looked away and kept walking.

Hermione was confused. She took a few more steps without really paying attention to where she was going, with the same blue eyes she met that night firmly showing up in her head.

She stopped and turned to gaze to the passer-by once more, but his figure had already vanished in the crowd that was coming out of their house to go to work.

A few weeks later, Hermione jumped off her train and walked a little away from the train's doors, looking for her ringing cellphone in her purse.

Something, maybe her instinct, made her turn and gaze towards the train.

A black-haired head caught her attention. The man turned his head and she saw his face clearly.

Those eyes, again.

Maybe he was the same passer-by she had bumped into? Yet, something in his look had changed, it had degenerated, he looked... dowdy, maybe?

A month had passed by, and Hermione hadn't met those familiar eyes anymore.

She closed her book, sighing after having read its last page.

She gazed out of the window: it was dark and she also felt a little cold.

As she was putting on a jacket, she saw someone sitting almost exhausted on the pavement.

She walked up to her window.

Raven black hair... sky blue eyes that shone like a cat's with the feeble light of the street lamp... his clothes looked like the passer-by's and the ones of the guy on the train, only they looked a lot more shabby, like his face...

Hermione held her breath. She couldn't leave him there, even though she didn't even know him.

She took a warm blanket and put some water to boil, then she ran to the door.

With her hand gripped on the handle, she froze.

Could she trust him and let him in?

Well, she couldn't let him to die out there either, so she opened the door and hoped for the best.

She crossed the street with a weird little run and stopped a few steps away from the man.

He was sitting all curled up, his arms around his legs and his forehead on his knees.

Hermione unfolded the blanked, approached him calmly and put it around his wide shoulders.

The man winced, but since he was so tired it looked more like a shiver, and rose his head.

A scared face with teary eyes was staring at her from beneath.

Hermione looked at him, overwhelmed by an uproar of thoughts... and that dream...

She shook her head lightly, then helped the man stand by surrounding his shoulders with her arms and said briefly «Let's go.»


	2. The Prince of Asgard

The man stood up slowly and began to walk weakly, letting Hermione guide him in the house, looking at her absent mindedly.  
She felt his eyes on her, but given his poor state he was probably just seeing her, not really watching her.  
She made him sit in front of the table, and gave him a warm tea, that he sipped calmly and then a plate of hot pasta, that he ate in less than five minutes.  
Hermione leaned back on the counter and observed him. He was a handsome man and reminded her a lot of the one from her dream... the vibrant eyes looked green with the warm light of the house, he had sharp cheekbones and thin lips. His not too prominent arm's muscles were well visible under his green shirt...  
He had almost finished his meal.  
« So, what's your name? »  
The man swallowed the last mouthful of his meal and put the cutlery back on the table.  
« Loki. » he whispered. Then, he stood up, took a step and fell onto the floor, exhausted. Hermione ran to him. He had fallen asleep while standing up, incredible! He must have been really tired! She grabbed his arms and dragged him on her bed as if he was a sack of potatoes.  
«_ Well, I let him in and fed him, but I can't keep him here forever... _» she thought, while taking the wand from her bedside.  
With silent movements she fixed and cleaned his clothes. She then wanted to try some healing spells... but they weren't working on him!  
How could that be? The spells worked on everyone on earth... « _That's the key..._ » whispered a voice in her head, but she didn't pay attention to it, too focused on trying to think to something that could work. After a long endless hour spent researching on her books, she eventually gave up and hoped for him to be awake as soon as possible.  
She curled up on the couch, put the wand at her side and started reading.

An hour later, Hermione yawned loudly.  
She closed her book and stretched her neck out, to look at her bed. It was empty.  
She squinted her eyes and tried to stand, but something gripped her neck and made her sit again.  
She tried to resist, but she was just making it worse, so she threw her head back and saw his aggressor's face: Loki. He was weird, though, he didn't look any aggressive, on the contrary... it almost looked like he was the victim!  
Hermione put a hand on the cloth that he was using to choke her and it broke. Then, she stood up quickly and aimed to Loki with her hand, trying to stun him. Like the healing spells, though, the offensive spells didn't work on him either, so she decided to sacrifice her poor books on the shelves behind him. She threw them at him with a rapid and gentle move of her hand, thanking the day in which she had learned to cast spells without her wand, which she grabbed anyways afterwards.  
She approached him cautiously, ready to attack him.  
Loki looked at her aghast, his mouth open in astonishment and his hands up in surrender.  
« A-are you a sister from Asgard? » he asked.  
« What's Asgard? » questioned Hermione.  
Loki shook his head « You're a human? »  
« Of course I am, what else could I be? »  
« But then, how did you... » he asked to himself, shaking his head continuously in disbelief.  
Hermione tried to hide the fact that the panic was taking over her « What do you want? If you needed something you could have as well just asked, there was no need to attack me. »  
« What should I have done after having woken up in a stranger's house? »  
Hermione tried to answer, but didn't find anything to say.  
Loki stood up and theatrically wiped some non-existent dust off his arms« Anyhow, the only thing I really do need can't be given to me by a kid like you... » he asserted, beginning to walk back and forth nervously. Then he looked up to her, and a spark lightened his eyes « Unless... »  
« Unless what? » repeated Hermione doubtfully, while following him with the tip of her wand.  
Loki stopped.  
« Alright, let's do this: you put that weird device down, even if you could attack me without it too, I won't try to kill you anymore and we just sit for a moment. » and keeping his hands slightly up, he sat gracefully on the couch. He almost looked like a prince...  
Hermione sat too and, still suspicious, put the wand on the table.  
« So, what's this Asgard you mentioned? »  
« Asgard is the place where I come from, it's a wonderful city of which I am... well, was King... » he said, sighing longingly.  
« You are a King? » asked Hermione all at once and Loki grinned « Yes, you could say so. » then he froze for a second.  
« I want to show you Asgard. »  
Loki stretched his right hand in front of him. Some gold-like sparks spurted joyfully from his palm, then Hermione's flat took a peaceful gold shade and the shapes of her furnitures began to change, and there it was, Asgard: magnificent gardens, of the most vibrant green, an incredible gold castle prevailed on the view, while the mountains loomed proudly in the sky. Hermione looked around astonished, tossing and turning on the couch like a child in a shop full of toys to see as much as possible of that gorgeous place. Then, she glanced at Loki, who was smiling like a father smiles to his son, a proud and sweet smile.  
« Beautiful, isn't it? »

Suddenly, a shadow appeared on his face « Now watch, look what it has been turned into. »  
Loki clapped his hands, than parted them slightly and turned them upside down, as if he had turned an hourglass. Doing so, the warm golden light around his right hand moved to his left one, turning into a cold greyish blue and Asgard changed. The feeling of coziness in the sunny surrounding vanished, replaced by some unnatural darkness. The gardens were just gaunt earth and the palace looked rusty and tottering.  
Loki shook his head gravely and closed his hand, making the hologram disappear. Then he turned towards Hermione.  
The girl was still staring shocked the point in which two seconds ago was the palace.

« But why would someone ever do something like this? » asked Hermione, bleary-eyed.  
« Hunger for power. » Loki answered « Envy that devours the souls and makes them rotten... » his voice broke, as if something inside him had broken along, as if he understood the emotions of his enemy so well that he could think of them as his. In that moment of distraction, a different expression took over him, worried maybe? Anyway, he returned to his senses quickly, getting his confident attitude back on.  
This made Hermione a little more suspicious, so she asked « This is horrible, but... what does it have to do with me? »  
« Listen, I must save my people, but I am alone and I can not make it! You unintentionally showed me your power and your presence of mind: basic qualities for a worthy person, the same that can help me make my city raise again. » said Loki calmly, articulating his words and looking her in the eyes. He paused for a moment, as if he wanted to check the girl's reaction. Then, he went on « There is just one thing that can help me. It is called "Tesseract", it is an unlimited energy source, the source that my planet needs to exist and without it, well... you just saw what happens. The source has been stolen from me: my enemies, people from your planet, they want to use it to build weapons, to make war. But the Tesseract was not created to hurt, it's only reason of being is bringing life, not death. »  
Loki paused again.  
« I think you might be a key factor in my mission to get it back. »  
Hermione interrupted him suddenly « Wait, wait a second... did you say "planet"? You mean this Asgard is not on Earth? »  
« Well... no » answered Loki, as if it was obvious.  
Hermione nodded lightly.  
« _So he is an... alien? Well, at least this explains why my spells don't work on him... kind of... _»  
«Anyhow» he said, crossing elegantly his long legs «There is no need for you to answer me now.»  
He leaned towards her charmingly «I can wait here until you say yes.» he said lightly (even though he didn't properly look like he was joking). Then he suddenly jumped off the couch and began to wonder around the house.


	3. Queens and Horses

Hermione woke up quite early that morning, washed her face and prepared some breakfast, which she ate slowly. Then, she prepared another portion of it and put it on the table in front of the couch. Loki was lying on it, still asleep. Hermione sat next to the plate and observed him.  
Could she trust that man? The other night he seemed sincere, it looked like he really cared for his town... that is, his reign. But there was a moment when... he changed his expression so quickly, as if he had dropped his mask...  
Hermione told herself that it would have been better if she remembered all of that in the future.  
Anyway, it was basic to get him to trust her.  
She got up and took all the books about London she had, then got back to the table and slammed them on it making as much noise as she could.  
Loki opened his eyes and, forgetting that he was laying on a really small couch, tried to turn, tumbling with his face on the floor.

« Good morning! » said Hermione cheerfully, trying not to openly laugh.  
Loki groaned, without moving.  
Hermione teased him with the corner of a book and he sat up « Yes, yes, I'm waking, thanks for being so gentle, human. » he mumbled, still sleepy.  
« What are those? » he asked.  
« Books and maps. »  
« Of what? »  
« Of London! You showed me your city, I show you mine!» she answered, calmly «But first of all I'll have to give you some decent clothes. Up, up! Breakfast is ready and the bathroom is over there if you need to shower or something.»

Without waiting for an answer, Hermione got up and began cleaning up the house, still messy from the night before.  
She heard him use the cutlery, then he got up and went to the bathroom.  
Hermione decided to wash the dishes.  
After ten minutes, Loki opened the bathroom's door.  
« Human? » he called. Since she didn't hear him because of the running water, so he got closer.  
« Uhm? » he hesitated, putting his hand on her shoulder.  
Hermione turned, raising her eyebrows.  
« I can not find any towel. »  
« You can't find any... » Hermione frowned and looked down. He was completely naked.  
« Oh! Yes! Right! The towel! Right! » she said almost shouting, walking away while trying not to trip over her own feet «I'll hang it on your- I mean, I'll _give_ it to you right away! » she said giggling nervously and hating herself for doing it.  
She took a towel and, holding it by an edge, put it quickly before Loki's legs, hitting his abs. He didn't have big muscles, but was fit enough to be a very pleasant view.  
Loki, confused for the girl's reaction, took the towel and went back to the bathroom, not caring to cover himself up in the meantime.  
Hermione sighed deeply: what a bloke she let in!

They finally got out.  
To travel around London, they used the Tube, with which Loki still had lots of problems and probably annoyed half the city.  
They walked a lot and visited many places, while Hermione did what she could do best: recite all of her knowledge.  
After hours and hours of restless walking, they decided to stop for a while. They went to a park and, as soon as they got in, Hermione threw herself on the grass, like a cat in the sun.  
Loki looked at her, confused « What... what are you doing? »  
« I don't know how it works over there, but here in London whenever there is a lawn you can lie down on, you do lie down on it! » answered Hermione, smiling « Come down here! » she insisted, tapping her fingertips on the grass next to her.  
« Come on! » she repeated and pulled his shirt, as he would keep standing up.  
« Here, isn't it much better? The grass is so soft. It's not like Asgard's parks and gardens, but still... »  
Loki chuckled « Asgard's parks and gardens? Listen, our most common way of transport are horses, if you try to lie down on one of our gardens you might lie on their dung. »  
Hermione laughed « So, can you ride horses? »  
« Of course! My brother and I loved racing on the Bifrost, the rainbow's bridge! » he answered smiling, then he looked worried.  
Hermione understood that she had found a weak spot.  
Loki didn't say anything else, so she got up and suggested to visit one last place before going home: Buckingham Palace!

They got there in a very little time. There were just a few tourists around.  
They got closer to the fence.  
« Here you go, the Queen's palace! As you can see, we do have Kings and Queens too. » said Hermione proudly.  
« It's not as beautiful as Asgard's, but... wait, the Queen's palace? What about the King? »  
Hermione explained « The last King only had daughters, so the reign is held by her. Of course she has a husband, if that's what you want to know, but he's not called a King. »  
« I see. » said Loki « Now that I think about it, once I get my kingdom back I'll need a Queen too. » and he looked absent mindedly towards Hermione.  
« _It shouldn't be too hard with that body you have... _» she thought. Then she turned her head and, since Loki was looking at her, she felt like she was caught red-handed and she blushed.  
« Good luck then. We really should be going home now, it's getting late. » she asserted.  
Then, they went away.


	4. Do You Have a Plan?

Hermione and Loki sat on the couch, which was a little too small to let them sit at a proper distance, but Loki did not seem any uncomfortable with it, as usual.  
«So, will you tell me something more about you? How was life in Asgard?» asked Hermione politely.  
Loki chuckled «Nothing particular, believe me. I just lived in the palace with my brother, Thor. We actually had a lot of fun together, messing things up and fighting with each other...» he smiled «We were really close»  
Hermione smiled along «It must have been really wonderful! But why are you saying that you were close? Are you not anymore?»  
Loki shook his head gloomily «No, not anymore. I think something broke between us, he had changed. Or maybe I was changed? Perhaps I was never the one I though I was» he said cryptically.  
A note in his voice let Hermione know that he perfectly knew what he was talking about, there was something, a weak spot... Hermione, however, understood that he had no wish to talk about it, so she just nodded gravely.

«I bet life on Earth looks a lot different to you» she said, trying to avoid an awkward silence.  
«It does!» he answered, cheerful once again «You humans like to use all these weird machines! I must admit I had some hard times at the beginning with those "trains" of yours... and I may have subjugated someone to let me through» he grinned «Don't worry, anyway, I didn't do it with you» he added.  
Hermione rose an eyebrow «Even if you did try, you wouldn't have been successful, not with me»  
Loki grinned again «I have never met another human with proper magic like you, I have only met those americans, they call themselves the "Avengers". HA! They do not have real powers...»  
«Well, not all of us have magic in this world» explained Hermione «The non-magic people do not know about us wizards and we call them "muggles". Magic is usually genetic, but some wizard's parents, like mine, are muggles»  
«I like this name you gave them» chuckled Loki «Someone must have taught you how to use you magic, though!»  
«Of course, every kid who has magic skills is sent to a school of witchcraft and wizardry»  
«I see... Do you wizards live with the muggles?»  
«There actually us a hidden part of the city, it's the wizards'! You can either choose to live there or here between the muggles»  
«Why do you live here, then? Wouldn't it be easier to live with other wizards?» insisted Loki.  
«Well, probably yes. But I grew up in the muggles' world and... I could have lived there with my fiancée but... I think something went wrong and I couldn't bear him anymore, so we broke up before getting married» said Hermione calmly «Oh, but I'm probably boring you to death with all of this»  
Loki, who had listened carefully, said «Why, you are not bothering me at all. What do you think had changed?» he asked, truly interested.  
Hermione was confused. It was not her wish to tell him so much about her life, but she noticed that she got Loki's attention when she mentioned that Ron had changed.  
«It really is a long story...»  
«Well, I love stories and I don't really have anything to do at the moment» he answered, leaning towards her slightly.  
Hermione did not move away from him, she sighed and decided to tell him everything, just so that he could get to trust her more.  
«It all began with my best friend: Harry Potter»

She told him about Harry and Ron, about Snape and Dumbledore and, finally, about Voldemort.  
Loki seemed particularly fascinated by this last character, his craving for power and his intelligence.  
When she finished her story, it was late night.  
«You could write a book out of all that, you know?» said Loki, sleepy.  
«I'm not sure that it would have much success» she answered.  
Loki smiled and stretched, trying to find a more comfortable position on the couch. Then he put his arm on the backrest and rested his head on it. His lids closed slowly and his breathing slowed down, letting him fall in a dreamless sleep.

When he woke up he was not on the couch anymore, but on Hermione's soft bed. He sat up and saw Hermione already (or still) awake, the couch filled up with books.  
She lifter her head from the book she was reading and, as she saw that he had awakened, she jumped off the couch.  
Then, she began walking frantically back and forth.  
«I've been thinking» she said quickly «I don't approve solving things up with violence, I never did and never will. But, you know, all the events I've been through taught me something and...» she stopped and looked at him firmly «I will help you»  
Loki nodded quietly. Then he got up and walked up to her smiling and putting his hands on her shoulders.  
«Thank you, Hermione, I will never forget this» he said, looking into her eyes.  
She smiled «Do you have a plan?»  
«_Of course_ I do!» he answered.

* * *

«Do you _really_ have to do that?» she asked.  
«Well, I need to create panic so that they can find me, I have no idea of what else to do...»  
«I think that a terrifying talk will be enough, you can improvise there if you need»  
«I _love_ improvising» he smiled.

That night, while Loki was sleeping, Hermione took "The Tales of Beedle the Bard": the moment to make perfect that invisibility spell Dumbledore wrote on a page had arrived.


	5. I don't have a home

Loki, dressed with a most elegant tuxedo which emphasized wonderfully his physique, offered his arm to Hermione with a mocking smile «I thought the plan was for me to get all of the attention, not you.»  
She took his arm, snorting «It's a gala event, I couldn't come here with a pair of jeans!»  
Loki smiled and they entered the big hall together. As they walked down the wide staircase, many turned to look at the couple.  
After a while, they parted, blending in the crowd. Making sure to be far enough from Loki, Hermione turned invisible and went back, so that she could observe his companion, protect him if there was any need to and follow him closely.  
Loki began to attack as planned, beating up random people around him. The crowd made a fuss, but he thought that it wasn't enough, so he grabbed a man next to him. He pinched his fingers around his neck and the creepiest "crack" echoed in the room.  
As the man fell motionlessly onto the ground, the crowd began to scream, freak out and run outside.  
Loki began to walk towards the exit too, with a fiercely pleased smile on his face.  
Hermione turned visible and called him. The eyes that looked at her, though, weren't the one that she had learned to know so well. He had a crazy look, his expression was verging on bestiality.  
As soon as Loki recognized her, his face looked more calm.  
Hermione, however, attacked him «What the hell are you doing? This wasn't the plan!»  
«I had to improvise! You said so too.»  
«Improvising doesn't mean killing an innocent man!» she shouted.  
Then she breathed deeply and, with disgust, she hissed «You are a monster.»  
Loki stiffened. His eyes became teary, but he raised his head proudly.  
«This thought of yours does me harm. Do you really believe that I want to be like this?» he said calmly. Then, becoming upset all of a sudden, he shouted «Do you even know what is it that keeps me alive now? It is despair and pain!»  
Hermione winced.  
«Mine and my people's.» he added, before fixing his clothes up and walking to the exit.  
«Now excuse me, but I can not let my audience get away.»

Loki exited with long firm steps.  
Hermione stood still and observed him. An obvious inner conflict seemed to part his soul into two.  
The girl now had two possibilities: dematerialize and let the fate do its work or follow him.  
She closed her eyes for a second and breathed deeply.  
«Follow him»  
Hermione became invisible and went out.  
When she arrived next to him, Loki was making his speech to his kneeling "audience". He spoke about how the humans' destiny was to be subjects to a stronger someone and live without freedom.  
Hermione hoped for it to be the improvisation they had talked about, but his words were resolute and what followed confused her. A middle-aged man got up «It may be our destiny, but we'll never kneel before men like you.»  
«There are no men like me.» Loki grinned.  
«There are always men like you.»  
Loki's face turned serious. Then, anger emerged as he prepared to punish that affront. Suddenly, a man with a red and gold full-body armour came out of nowhere and attacked him.  
Hermione was aghast. Could that be the guy that was always on TV? That Tony Stark or, as they call him, Iron Man? Hermione never wanted to believe to the brainy-millionaire-with-a-super-powerful-and-flyin g-armour story, but she had to change her mind.  
The two men fought for a while, then Loki decided that it was time for him to let them take him, and pretended to lose the fight.  
Some agents handcuffed him and brought him on a silly flying machine, while Hermione secretly followed them.  
They made Loki sit, as Stark began to mutter with a red-haired agent about how the thing had been suspiciously easy.  
Suddenly, a thunder roared in the sky and Loki gasped a little.  
«What, are you afraid of thunders now?» Stark asked, ironically.  
«Let's just say that I am not overly fond of what follows.» he answered cryptically.

In a second, the plane's door opened and a tall man with northern-like traits and viking-like clothing got in, grabbed Loki and jumped outside.  
Stark prepared to follow them, but the agent stopped him for a little, enough time for Loki to tell Hermione where he was.  
She saw an image forming clear and realistic in her mind and she recognized it as one of those that Loki said to be able to send, agreeing to use them if needed.  
So, she dematerialized.

When she reappeared, she was in a desolate place on a short hill. Then, she heard two men talking.  
She followed their voices and found Loki and the Viking arguing animatedly.  
«I don't have the Tesseract, Thor, this thing you are doing is useless»  
«You know that is not why I'm here, brother. We are all waiting for you to come back in Asgard, our father...»  
«Ah, let me correct you» Loki interrupted «Your father»  
«He raised us both and loved us both, you are well aware of it.» answered Thor firmly. Then, he put a hand on his interlocutor's shoulder «Let's go home.»  
«I don't have one.»  
They looked at each other silently for a little while.  
Hermione held her breath. Here was the story of that character.  
A red and gold bolide appeared in the sky and carried Thor away with him.  
Hermione became visible and ran to Loki.  
«Let's go away!»  
«No, I have to stay, I don't have the Tesseract yet» answered Loki, sitting on the ground to watch his brother fighting with the Iron Man «You shall go, but be ready»  
«Wait, why did you call me, then?»  
«I feared my brother could ruin our plans, but I overestimated him» he explained, indicating the Viking with his head.  
Hermione nodded and pretended to go away. Then, she turned invisible.


	6. Finally

Loki walked fiercely with the guards, as they brought him to his cell. Hermione was following them secretly, when she saw a very peculiar room. Its door was closing, but she managed to see a bright blue cube inside, and she recognized it as the Tesseract. She tried to memorize the room while keeping on walking.

Loki was locked in a transparent cell.  
«You are not going to escape with this» said an agent «It was built for something much stronger than you are»  
The prisioner just nodded smiling, so the agent walked away, confused.  
Hermione smiled because of Loki's cheekiness. Then, she decided to bring on the plan, so that they could go away as soon as possible, and she materialized in the Tesseract's room.  
She enchanted the silly device that held it, which probably had some kind of allarm installed in it, and took the cube. She then trasfigured it as a pendant, and wore it as a necklace in order to carry and hide it with ease. Then, she materialized in Loki's cell.  
She walked up to him and touched his shoulder, whispering «Ready to go?»  
Loki gasped and withdrew «Who's there?»  
«It's me, Hermione!» she said, annoyed for this useless waste of time.  
He looked towards the point from which he had heard her voice «Hermione?» he repeated with surprise.  
She then turned visible with a sly grin.  
«Wha... you can become _invisible_?» he asked with disbelief.  
She nodded proudly.  
«I learned recently, it's a pretty complex charm. There are very few wizards who can do it» she boasted.  
Then, she took his arm «Now be prepared, I'm getting you out of...» she interrupted as two men ran into the room. She heard them scream something. Then, with a familiar twitch, she dematerialized bringing Loki with her.

They materialized in Hermione's flat.  
She landed gracefully, since she was used to travelling that way, while Loki, discombombulated, lost balance and fell.  
«**What the heck!** You get invisible, you dematerialize just like that... when did you mean to tell me about these powers of yours?» he said while getting up «And, above all, _why_ did you take me away? I wasn't done yet, I don't have the Tesseract!» he continued, raising his voice.  
«Calm down, here's your beloved Tesseract» she answered, throwing the pendant in his hands.  
Loki grabbed it «This is not the Tesseract, this is a necklace!»  
«Look closely» she suggested.  
Loki ispected the pendant, twisting it between his fingers «I can't see anything special. What's that little blue th... _oh_» he raised his head «How did you manage to get it in here?»  
«Transfiguration» she answered simply  
«Clever» he chuckled «Here, wear it and, please, take care of it!»  
She wore the necklace again «Do you really think that I'd lose it after all of this?»  
Loki shrugged his shoulders «You never know» he said, earning himself a piercing look from the girl.  
«About our next steps, we need something powerful enough to get the portal open! Something with a lot of energy, something like...» he stopped, without the slightest idea of what could be used «Ehm...»  
Hermione smiled «Don't worry, I'll find something»  
«Wonderful! I love having a companion!» he smiled back «I'd say we can celebrate our achievements, can't we?»  
Hermione nodded cheerfully «Why not, I think I know where we could go.»


	7. Closer

Loki and Hermione got in the restaurant. After sharing that adventure, they seemed to get on a lot better and she knew that she had been seen with him, so she could do nothing but keep on helping Loki.  
They had a nice evening, chatting about this and that.  
«Are you really saying that you have _never_ ridden a horse?» Loki asked, amused.  
«No, I find the idea of relying the safety of my spine on such a big animal quite frightening»  
«But they're peaceful beings and, as you humans say, they wouldn't hurt a fly!»  
«I believe you, but in any way I'm not very... athletic» she said, blushing.  
Loki frowned, thoughtfully «Do you have fields for horses here on Midgard?»  
She looked at him suspiciously «You mean maneges? Of course we do, but... what do you have in mind?»

The day after, they went to the manege and Loki chose the most docile horse for the girl.  
Getting on the animal wasn't a big deal, but Hermione was frightened to loose its control.  
Loki, however, rode at her side, telling her what to do.  
Suddenly a shot, probably a hunter's, echoed in the air.  
Both of the horses, frightened, got upset.  
As Loki, experienced already, managed to calm his down, Hermione's began to run.  
« **Pull the reins! Pull the reins!** » Loki shouted, but she seemed to be too scared to do anything.  
Loki catched her up fast and managed to stop the animal. He looked at Hermione, mortified. The girl blushed: she had been unable to handle the situation and she hated it.  
« Are you alright? » he asked, sincerely worried and Hermione groaned, still shocked.

Loki moved on the other horse, in front of the girl, still holding the reins of his one.  
They went back riding slowly. The return trip was calm, but Hermione held Loki firmly, her head on his back, afraid for the animal to get upset again.  
When they arrived, Loki got off the horse and helped a hesitant Hermione to get off too. She, however, was too willing to move away from it, so she jumped off with too much impetuosity and fell on him. As she realized she had fallen on Loki, she jumped away, her face livid for the shame of being such a failure.  
« I knew it wouldn't have been a good idea. » she mumbled.  
Loki began to laugh softly, then louder and louder.  
Hermione looked at him with her eyes wide open « What is it? **What**? »  
« You manage to make me escape without a scratch from a secret organization with tons of armed soldiers like the Shield, you even "robbed" them and you can't get off a horse?! » he said, still laughing.  
Hermione glared at him, but she couldn't help laughing along.

The morning after, Loki woke up, feeling a weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and found before him a red cat which was definitely overweight and its flat face gave it a perpetually angry expression.  
He jumped on his feet, throwing away the cat, which screamed with disappointment.  
Hermione ran in the room.  
« Crookshanks! » she shouted as she picked the cat up and hugged it.  
« What's _that_? »  
« It's my cat. » Hermione answered, caring only about filling a bowl with nibbles.  
« _Cat_? When I was a kid I once morphed a frog with a hairy dog and what came out of it could have been called "cat" way more easily than that thing with paws. »  
Hermione snorted, used to the criticism towards her poor cat and got back to the pile of books and notes from which she had emerged before.  
The cat began to crunch angrily its nibbles, then it rose its head and hissed at Loki, who, annoyed, hissed back at it.  
Hermione watched the scene with disbelief, then she bursted into laughter.  
« Here's what happens when you make a cat and an alien prince meet. »


	8. Everything's Alright

« **Found it**! » shouted Hermione, emerging from a pile of paper.  
« Found what? » asked Loki.  
« The place for the portal! » Hermione answered, excited, getting up and making Loki sit behind the desk, where she had worked until a few minutes before.  
« I thought about it thoroughly and it's been a really hard work, but I did it. I thought about many places, but not one of them seemed to be powerful enough, you need a lot of energy to sustain a portal and nothing seemed strong enough. » she said, gesticulating frantically, with the smile she always had whenever she managed to accomplish something that required intelligence. Loki kept moving his eyes from the papers to her and vice versa, nodding with a smile. Hermione presented her work for another twenty minutes and finally decided to get to the point « In short, I thought about a nuclear power plant! » she paused to observe Loki's reaction. He, however, kept looking at her, smiling, without moving or saying anything.  
« So? » she incited him.  
« Hm? »  
« Nuclear power plant? » she repeated.  
« What... What is that? »  
« It's a power plant that uses the heat of nuclear reactions and... » she began to explain, but, noticing Loki's lost gaze, she stopped « Ah, forget about it, it's muggle stuff, but it's very powerful, trust me. In any way, there is one of these plants not too far from here, in... »  
Loki stood up.  
« What... did something happen? » Hermione asked.  
He shook his head and got closer.  
She took a step backwards and her back touched the wall.  
Loki kept getting closer, until there were just a few inches between them, or less.  
« Thank you. » he whispered on her lips. Loki took her hand, then raised his eyes and, in that moment, Hermione felt her heart beating so fast she feared he could hear it. They both lowered their gazes, not daring to do any other move. Then, finally, a kiss.  
A tender, light kiss, that needed no explanations. A kiss that smelled like summer and all the things you like the most, just like that potion that Hermione did not care to remember the name. A kiss that reached souls.  
When they separated, however, the magic broke. Many, many things came to her mind, especially that she could not let herself like him in that way.  
« _Why not?_ » a voice whispered in her head, but Hermione did not listen to it.  
« I need to get out. » she said in one breath.  
He nodded and let go of her hand. Hermione went outside without turning and Loki could do nothing but lower his head, trying to hide turmoil of thoughts fighting in his mind.  
« _I was too rush._ »  
« _Why did she run away?_ »  
« _Why did I kiss her?_ »  
« _To involve her emotionally and use her, of course._ » he tried to tell himself, but he wasn't sure. He had never been so.

Hermione had been walking aimlessly on the empty street's pavement for half an hour now. She had so many contrasting thoughts shouting in her head to take priority, she could not undo that tangle of voices.  
What was she feeling? Her heart had begun to beat faster when he...  
Why did Loki do that, anyways?  
Did he feel something? Was he sincere? Was he lying?  
All of these questions crowded restlessly in her mind.  
Suddenly, she noticed a silly movement at the corner of her eye and walked faster. She thought she had only imagined it, but experience had taught her that one could never be prudent enough, so she went back home.

She hesitated in front of the door for a moment, then she took courage and got inside.  
She found Loki lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling, an arm resting on his forehead and the other on his stomach.  
When he saw Hermione coming in, he got up and a smile widened on his face as he approached her with his hands stretched towards her. However, he abandoned them at his sides as he noticed she was avoiding his eyes. He stopped a few steps before her, not daring to say a word.  
After a few minutes, Hermione said, softly « I'm sorry I got away like that, I wasn't ready to... I didn't think I would have reacted like that. It's been at least one year since the last time I felt something even remotely close to... » her voice broke.  
Loki gently took her face with his hands, moving a piece of hair away from her eyes « It is fine. » he said with his warm voice.  
Hermione curved her mouth into a smile, suddenly relaxed.  
Instinctively, they squeezed into a hug and she felt overwhelmed by the perfume of Loki's skin, as she held his strong shoulders. Then, they stared in each other's eyes for a minute and kissed again.  
This one kiss was different, it was mature, sincere and direct and Hermione found herself lying on her bed, not really knowing how she got there.  
She only knew that her right hand was holding his and the fingers of her left hand were caressing Loki's black hair, as his chest touched her breasts and their clothes were laying on the ground.

The next morning, Loki woke up with her name on his lips and a weak sunlight sneaking in through the windows, on his face. Hermione was breathing softly, still asleep and her hair, a little tangled because of the night before, made him smile.  
He felt weird and he didn't know what to do next. He had always felt like a fish out of water, he hadn't found one place he could call "home". But with her, everything, everywhere felt like home.  
Nobody, not his beloved brother Thor, not his loving father Odin, not his caring mother had ever managed to make him feel like that, as if he was the right person in the right place in the right moment.  
He believed to have a goal, he thought it would have been easy to carry out his plan undisturbed, but then he found her. Or better, _she_ found him.  
Maybe he should have been sincere, but... what if she got angry listening to the truth?  
He couldn't lose all of this, it was a huge treasure to him, bigger than power, bigger than anything he had ever had.  
They could have went away, live in Asgard maybe, she would have liked it, indeed... a part from the horses, of course.

Hermione sighed and opened her eyes, turning towards him.  
« Good morning. » she smiled, caught by the light but intense greenish blue color of Loki's eyes, emphasized by the golden sunlight.  
« Good morning. » he answered, stroking her cheek. Hermione kissed the palm of his had and got up.  
She ran into the bathroom, got dressed and gave Loki a light kiss on his lips « I'll go and buy something for breakfast. » she said, still smiling, and went outside.


	9. Who will you trust?

Hermione began to walk absent-mindedly, her heart beating fast everytime she thought about the previous night and the widest of smiles went with her along the way.  
She went serious as a man showed up in front of her, coming out of nowhere. Hermione recognized him: he was one of the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s guards. She casted a body-bind course on him, but before she could turn and run away, she found herself surrounded by agents. She was ready to attack them and flee, when a voice from above her head shouted her to stop. Tony Stark landed before her.  
« Nice to meet you, love. » he said « Could you calm your wonderful spells down for just a sec? You look like a reasonable person, I'm sure you'll want to hear what we have to tell you. »  
« I wouldn't be so sure, if I were you. »  
Stark grinned « When did you meet your partner? »  
Hermione just gave him a challenging gaze, to which he answered with an amused grimace.  
« Let's hear, then, which fantastic stories about his infinite power did that god thing tell you? »  
She blushed in anger, as if she had been personally offended « He told me what you did! You're just disgusting maggots, ready to everything to prove that you're the strongest ones! » she yelled, maybe exaggerating her thoughts a little.  
Stark didn't seem to be affected by her words « I see. Well, you know that it's not the truth, I hope. »  
Her just recently reinforced certainties about Loki began to totter, before falling to pieces hopelessly when Stark simply said « Loki made you steal the Tesseract, he manipulated you to make you believe it was your choice. It's a skill of his. I don't know what he managed to make up to get a smart one like you to his side, but it's a lie. His real intention is to bring up a war here on Earth to submit humans to his power. He needed the Tesseract to open a portal in order to let his alien troop get through. Who do you trust now, us or him? »  
Hermione couldn't say a word. She felt weak, she had lowered her guard too much.  
« No, it can't be... NO! » she screamed, holding her head between her hands.  
An agent, who had been really tensed until that moment, startled and started a gunshot.  
Hermione felt a piercing pain in her shoulder and fell onto the ground, but, the second before they could get her, she dematerialized.

She appeared in the hall of a cozy house, Harry and Ginny's. She called his best friend's name weakly and managed to hear some fast steps getting closer before passing out.  
When she woke up, a little later, she was on a bed. Ginny was healing her wound, while Harry looked at her with a worried face.  
« She's awake! » he shouted, relieved « Hermione? Can you hear me? »  
Hermione nodded a little.  
« Will you tell us what happened? How on Earth did you get shot? » Harry began to ask in one breath, alarmed.  
« Harry, she just woke up and she's lost a good amount of blood, let her be for a moment! » Ginny stopped him. He shut his mouth instantly, but kept staring at Hermione anxiously.

When the girl felt better, she sat up. Harry gazed eloquently towards Ginny, who left the room.  
« Now, tell me what happened. » he repeated.  
Hermione sighed and told him everything that had happened, avoiding his friend's eyes for the whole time. Harry nodded sadly as she talked, not speaking a word.  
« I don't know what to say. » he said, when Hermione finished her story. Then, hesitantly, he asked « Are you in love with him? »  
Hermione was astonished. It was not an option she had thought about. Affection, infatuation maybe, but _love_?  
« In love? Of course not! Or maybe yes? Ah, _I don't know_! » she answered chaotically. Harry nodded again, letting her understand his unspoken words and just said « I'll take you home. »

They materialized in Hermione's apartment. Loki walked out of the kitchen, smiling « Here you are, finally! Who is your friend? » he asked. Then, he noticed the wide red stain on Hermione's shirt, and ran to her, trying to touch her to comfort her somehow, unsuccessfully « What happened? What is this blood? » he said in a choked voice. Hermione tightened her lips together and shrank away from his hands.  
Loki's face morphed with rage and he took a firm step towards her « Who did this to you? »  
Harry stopped him with his arm, hissing « Don't touch her. »  
Loki's eyes became flaming « You shall not dare to give me orders, human! » he shouted, throwing him far away with a light hand-flip. Harry hit a library and passed out. Hermione tried to help him, but Loki held her.  
« Who is that? »  
« Let me go! He was just trying to help me! »  
« Help you? Taking you away from me? » he asked, trying to get her closer to him. Hermione rejected him, wincing in pain for her recently healed wound.  
« May I know what the heck happened? »  
« It happened, that they told me about your actual plans! » Hermione screamed, as bitter tears began to run down her cheeks « I know everything! I can't understand how I could trust you, how I could believe it was true... You don't even care about me, do you? »  
Loki froze « Who told you... »  
« Those Shield's guys! » she answered hastily, not giving him the time to finish his sentence. Loki sighed, sorrowful « I did not tell you the truth because I did not want you to drown with me in this, it does not have an escape route. »  
« I could have helped you getting out of it, if you had only let me. »  
« No. The Ancients, my superiors, they would have never let me get away without implications. I must give them the Tesseract, or else... »  
Hermione held her breath, waiting for Loki to finish his sentence.  
« I can not die as I'm a god, but I can feel pain and feeling pain for the eternity is a thousand times worse than death. » he concluded, looking for a little compassion in her eyes, the same eyes that, just a few hours before, had embraced and accepted him.  
Hermione straightened her back. Even though he had hurt her, she couldn't bare the idea of him suffering.  
« Very well. Take the Tesseract, then, and go away. Don't come back ever again. » she said, tearing the necklace from her neck and throwing it on the ground.  
Loki's eyes became watery « You do not understand, I do not even know what they plan to do with the Tesseract! »  
« But you want to subdue the Earth, destroy it! »  
« No! No! I mean, I wanted that, but then you arrived and... »  
« Just leave. » Hermione said once more, calmly.  
Loki breathed loudly, picked up the Tesseract and walked to the door.  
He stopped on the doorway and looked back.  
« Forgive me. » he said.  
Then, he walked out.


	10. Brother

Loki began to walk, not really knowing where to go.  
Why did the human get so angry with him? He would have changed his plans in order to make her happy, but she, just like Odin and all those he cared about in Asgard, didn't seem willing to listen to him.  
The thought made him nervous: why would he, a powerful god, son of the Frost Giants' King, let an insignificant mortal denigrate him? What did she mean to him? She had only offered him some mere hours of pleasure...  
« _She accepted you._ » whispered a voice in his head.  
« _No! She deceived me and abandoned me, exactly like everyone else did._ » he thought with rage.  
"Deceived".  
Thinking of that word provoked an undefined reaction in his mind, something between anger and admiration: did that stupid human really manage to deceive the god of mischief?

Loki suddenly froze, staring at the pavement.  
Blood.  
A fit of anger overcame him. Even though he was not there when it happened, he knew that was the place where those Shield's disgusting worms attacked Hermione.  
«_ If you told her the truth, maybe it would not have happened. Perhaps she would have been ready._ » he told himself.  
But a human would have never understood, she could have never understood the problems of a superior being like him.  
« _She is different, you have always known that._ »  
Loki tightened his hand on the pendant. He couldn't even imagine the pain the Ancients would give him, but he just couldn't betray her; after all, he thought, the fact that she was so hurt meant that she really cared for him.

Someone put a hand on his shoulder.  
« Brother. » said a familiar voice.  
Loki turned to Thor with a tired smile.  
« Finally, I found you. I want to ask you one more time, before... » he began, but Loki interrupted him « I will come to Asgard with you. »  
Thor stood there with his mouth open for a few seconds. Then, surprisingly suspicious, asked « What about the Tesseract? »  
Loki opened his hand, showing the pendant and, with a simple gesture, he reversed the spell, making the Tesseract look like it originally did. He handed it to Thor.  
The god of thunder smiled and briefly hugged his brother.  
« I knew you would have done the right thing. »

Later, Thor was gently pushing his brother into the wide golden room. On the throne was sitting, kingly, Odin.  
Loki kept his head high, contrasting the harsh, disappointed look of his father. Eventually, he gave up and lowered his eyes.  
« What trickery are you planning? Why did you return us the Tesseract with such ease? » Odin asked, his voice echoed clear in the room.  
Loki didn't move.  
« Loki, please, answer. You know our father well... » muttered the god of thunder.  
Loki stiffened « I have been orderet to be quiet for many years, I am not going to disobey now for sure. » he said with a sarcastic smile.  
Odin got up, approached him and, sad looking, put a hand on his shoulder « My son, why so much loathe? When I took you in my arms that day, I did it for your good, just because... » he paused, noticing that Loki had began to shake. He got closer to him, worried.  
« I want your good. » he repeated. Looked at him firmly and tightened his lips. Odin took a step back « Your resentment and hatred are never to end, are they? It is my job to make sure that all of the worlds are safe, therefore I order you to tell me your plans! »  
After a moment of silence, he went on with a scarily calm voice « You don't know the methods I can use to make you talk, the pain I can make you feel... »  
« I have heard something like this already. » Loki whispered to himself.  
« SPEAK! » Odin ordered with a harsh face, makig a slap echoe on the god's face.  
Thor moved towards them, almost unintentionally « Father, no! »  
Odin turned his head to him, angry. He gazed at Loki and coldly ordered « Take him away. »  
Thor watched the huge doors close behind the guards escorting his brother. Then, approaching the throne, he kneeled before his father.  
« Let me speak to him. »

Thor entered the cell in which his brother was shut. Loki raised his head « It is of no use for Odin to send you to convince me. Does he really think it takes so little to trick me? »  
Thor sat next to him « I am not here in behalf of our Father, but as your brother and friend. » he said and then paused briefly.  
« Your stay on Midgard changed you, as you are once again the boy I have grown up with, the same I have always called brother. I can see it in your eyes, even though you are trying to hide your noble mindedness. What is the event that made you withdraw from evil? »  
A name made his way very clearly through Loki's mind, but it remained uncalled.  
Thor sighed and, understanding that his brother wouldn't say anything about it, went on « I am aware of the pressure you feel because of Father's mistrust, along with mine. I wish it was different, believe me. We have been through a lot together, we have been shouted at many times for all the trouble we made. I have always loved you, brother and I have always believed in you. This is why I felt so disappointed, dejected and mortified when you betrayed me, but do not believe, not even for a second, that I ever stopped caring about you, that I did not suffer when you let yourself fall off the Bifrost. » he gripped his arm « I also admit that had never realized the way our Father acted with you until that very moment, I had never understood how much it made you suffer and therefore I apologize. Whatever Odin might think, to me you will always be my equal. »  
Loki took a few steps away from his brother « I cannot undestand why you keep referring to Odin as "our" father. I thought I had made it clear, that... »  
« We are a family no matter what. » Thor interrupted.  
« A family full of lies and half-truths shall still be called family? »  
« A family helps you to grow, in a way or another. If not us, who do you think is yours? »  
« Hermione... »

The name slipped out of Loki's lips without even realizing it.  
The other god raised his head with interest « Hermione? Who is she? »  
« Just a Human. » Loki answered, contemptuous.  
Thor said nothing for a moment, examinating his brother's face « And who is she _to you_? »  
« To me? Nothing! She is nothing! How can you think that I resemble you so much, having feelings for a mortal? » the god answered with an amused grin, almost shouting.  
Thor just looked at him, waiting for what he already knew would happen. Loki looked away « Even if that was the case, however, I really doubt that she will want to see me ever again. » he said softly, hiding his face in his hands.  
« Ah, humans: our strenght and our weakness. »  
Loki stood up « How dare you, confronting her to those other stupid beings. » he asserted coldly « She has nothing to do with them. She is... different. »  
Thor nodded eloquently, stood up and, as he exited, he giggled « It seems like not even love can soften you, brother. »

Loki opened his eyes, feeling benumbed and dizzy. A shudder ran down his spine. He knew those sensations and the scenario he was in very well. A voice roared in the air « **You disobeyed. You had been worned and you will be punished for your behaviour.** »  
Loki looked around, trying not to show the fear gripping his stomach « Show yourself. » he whispered, almost growling.  
« **We believe you know this human.** » the voice said, ignoring the god's threats.  
Hermione's image formed before his eyes. Instinctively, he approached it. The girl's gaze seemed lost, as if she could not see what surrounded her, her hands closed in fists and her eyes watery. Loki tightened his lips and tried to reach for her cheek with his hand, but, before managing to touch her, the girl's face was twisted by an agonizing expression, her mouth wide open with a scream that sounded muffled to the god's ears. He tried to approach her again to protect her somehow, but he was thrown away.  
« **Everytime you are going to close your eyes, now, she's going to be there. This is the punishment for your betrayal.** » the voice concluded as everything began to vanish.

When Loki woke up, he was laying on the cold floor of his cage.  
« Hermione! » he cried out, almost jumping to his feets. With uncertain movements and a dimmed mind, he inspected his cell, still calling the girl's name. After a while, exhausted, he fell onto his knees, as bitter tears began to make their way down his cheeks.  
« _I_ did this,_ I_ shall be punished, she is innocent! PUNISH _ME_!» he screamed, his arms wide open.  
Nothing happened.  
Loki collapsed onto the floor, cursing himself. Then, after a deep breath, he closed his eyes and there she was. As he had been promised, Hermione appeared in his mind. The girl was twisting in pain, an agony so strong that she didn't even have enough strenght to shout.  
Loki observed with horror, unable to react.  
Suddenly, rage filled his body.  
He opened his eyes and got up, his mind was now clear.  
He called the guards « I wish to speak to my brother. »


	11. Help

« You wanted to speak to me? » Thor asked, making his entrance in the cell.  
Loki had his shoulders turned, his hands clasped behind his back « More precisely, I need your help. » he said, now looking at him.  
« You know you can rely on me, brother. »  
Loki nodded and smiled « I do. »  
Then, he sat, inviting Thor to do the same «You know, about the plan for Midgard's take over, I believe you shall know that I was not on my own. The Ancients induced me and forced me to help them, asking me to steal the Tesseract for them, promising me the planet as a reward. If I did not obey, anyhow, the only payoff I would have received would have been an excruciating eternal pain. »  
Thor instinctively stepped towards his brother with a concerned expression « And you did not give them the Tesseract! Are you okay? »  
« I am in a way. They have chosen a pain that is much worse than the physical one: they found Hermione, they caught her and now... now she is being tortured by those filthy beings. » he said, his voice kept breaking. Then, he stepped closer to the god and, putting his hands on his shoulders, he went on « Please, I beg of you, brother, you must help me save her! If not for me, do it because it is unfair that an innocent one has to pay for my mistakes! She knew nothing of my plans and she rejected me when she came to know! She is a good soul, she does not deserve this! »  
Loki made sure that he used the right words in his cry for help, words that, he knew, would have touched the right chords in the god's mind.  
Thor smiled when called "brother" « Save your breath, if she is beloved I am sure that she is worth being saved. » he said and hugged him. Then, he stood up «I will talk with Odin about it. »  
Loki shook his head « I do not think he will be willing to help me, he will believe that it is a trick, just as he always does. »  
« Do not say that, I am sure he will help. » Thor insisted and walked away.

A few hours later, Loki raised his head as he heard some light and fast steps getting closer. The cell's door was opened and a woman came in: his mother.  
They looked at each other for a second, then, simultaneously, they stepped closer and hugged.  
« My son, where have you been? I was so worried about you, we all were! » Frigga said, holding the son's face between her hands.  
« Dear mother, I believe that your worrying and Thor's were real, but you will never convince me about Odin. »  
« Oh, heavens, you are so repetitive! » she exclaimed, hitting his face playfully «If he did not want you, he would have never brought you here!»  
« You are repetitive too, mother. » Loki answered, holding the woman's hands « Now I know, he only needed to achieve his goals. »  
« What is that, stipulating peace between Asgard ad Laufey's realm? Oh, what a shame! » she suggested, with a scolding gaze « Odin may be a king, but do not forget that he is a warrior: he likes things to be straight forward. I believe he has never told you other particulars about your arrival here. When he brought you home, wrapped inside his cape, telling me that you were the son of an ice giant, I was so afraid for our safety. But he put you i my arms and told me that you had a great potential as a warrior and as a king. As you grew up you kept showing your abilities and intelligence and it was really hard not to love you. You may have felt put aside from Odin's care, but he has always believed in you. Do you really think he would have destined you to such a thing like the peace between two worlds, if he did not? » she went on.  
« Well, I could not know this... » Loki said with a shrug.  
« What made you come back, son? I know you have brought the Tesseract to Asgard. » Frigga asked, lovely.  
« You would better ask _who_ made me come back. » he corrected her, than lowered his head, holding his face between his hands « I did it for her, to save her and she's the only one who has to endure my action's consequences. »  
« _She?_ » the mother repeated, lifting is son's head up « Is it love that I hear in your words? » she asked, even though she already knew the answer.  
Loki did not answer, he just looked at her eloquently. Frigga nodded, than she frowned « What consequences are you talking about? »  
The god sighed ad told his mother everything he had already told his brother,  
« This Hermione must be one extraordinary girl. »  
« She is. » Loki said softly, blushing a little, then he went on with a strong voice « I cannot abandon her in their hands! Please, mother, help Thor to convince Odin! I **must** free her! »  
« I will do my best, Loki. Anyhow, I am sure it will all be fine and, as soon as this nightmare ends, we will celebrate a magnificent wedding. » she smiled. Then, she hugged his son once more and walked out.

The days went on and the concernment was consuming Loki.  
Then, finally, the cell's door opened and Odin walked in.


	12. Please, don't leave me

Loki entered the huge hall, it was a bare room, without statement decorations. The Ancients didn't have to prove their superiority to no one, after all.  
The god's steps rang out clearly, marking the time like a clock's hands.  
Loki's eyes began to search out the room frantically, then stopped on a spot. A tall rock arch stood behind the Ancients and, inside it, there was Hermione. Her image, though, seemed lightly blurred, as if there was an impalpable veil that kept her from moving. The girl was clearly exhausted, still suffering, but being too tired to either scream or squirm, she laid on the ground like a motionless puppet as her chest raised and lowered with light breaths.  
To that sight, Loki's jaw contracted as he tried to contain his anger and kept walking. When he reached the middle of the room, he kneeled and, slightly shaking, he raised his arms to show the Tesseract, which he held for the whole time.  
« I am so very sorry that my delay in the Tesseract's delivery has been interpreted as a betrayal. I had encountered an obstacle, but I took care of it, as you can see» he said slowly, keeping his head low reverently. His eyes flickered impatiently towards Hermione.  
An Ancient approached the god silently and took the cube **«Do not try to insult our intelligence, we know what your intentions were the same way as we know that these humans seem to affect you Asgardians strangely. You did your job, now you can have your useless mortal back**» he rumbled.  
Then, he walked to the veil trapping the young witch and, with graceful gestures, he began to break it as if it were a spiderweb.

As soon as the opening was large enough, he moved aside.  
Loki reached him quickly, watching out carefully for every move the Ancient made. He took Hermione in his arms, walked away from the arch and laid her gently on the ground. She seemed to be so weak se couldn't keep her eyes open. Loki held her hands tight and bent over her face.  
«It is going to be ok» he whispered to her ear, his voice shaky with happiness: finally he could hold her once again.  
«Forgive me for...» Hermione started, but her voice broke.  
«**Enjoy your stupid human while you can. Now the Tesseract is in our hands and no one will object our power. Whoever will try, will die**.»  
Loki turned to him and gave him a firm look.  
«Sorry to ruin your party, but it looks like I'm not the only one with obstacles in his plan» he said.  
In that moment, Thor, Sif and the three warriors entered the room, making the Ancients jump to their feet. With a shout, the warriors lashed out at their enemies, beginning a fiery battle, as Loki made sure that Hermione was safe.  
«LOKI, NOW!» Thor screamed.  
Loki got up and ran towards the broken veil, that broke completely, and then moved to its side.  
After gathering the Ancients to one point without them noticing, all the warriors stepped away from their opponents, confusing them for a moment. Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly and, with a wide movement, he unleashed a force that blew the Ancients away, making them fall in the arch.  
Thor smiled, pleased, and after nodding with approval to his brother, he turned to compliment his companions. Loki walked back to Hermione, that managed to sit up, and hugged her.  
«I thought I would have ever seen you again, even though, given the situation, it would have been better...»  
«Just know that I'd slap you if I had the strength to» she muttered «But I missed you too.»

Suddenly, the girl stiffened and released a bloodcurdling scream as something took her away from the god's arms, towards the arch.  
«**You are a fool, you will never see her again**» an Ancient's voice rumbled for the last time, before dissolving, bringing the young witch with him.  
Loki was petrified. Then he looked at his brother.  
«Loki, do not...» Thor said, shaking his head «Loki, NO!» he shouted.  
But it was too late: Loki had taken the run already and, with a jump, had entered the unknown following, for once, his heart.

* * *

Hermione was laying on the grass, a tree shaded her and, when she recovered her senses, the perfume of the flowers surrounding her filled her nose. She raised a hand to her face: was she dreaming? Or was everything she had been through just a dream she had while being asleep in a park?  
Then, she felt her muscles being relaxed, finally free from the pain they had to tolerate for hours, days or maybe more.  
«At the cost of not seeing him ever again, I almost wish this was just a dream» she said to herself, getting up «Where am I anyways?» she asked herself, noticing that the weather was too sunny to be in the UK. Actually, everything was too perfect to be any place on Earth. The flower field extended out of all proportion, it was impossible to see where it ended. The only building Hermione could see, far away, was Hogwarts' castle.  
«Honey, you're home finally!» a voice said happily to her back.  
Hermione turned and saw Ron smiling cheerfully. Yes, it was Ron, but he was different. His voice was, somehow, deeper, his eyes more intense, his body more harmonious, his face brighter, his behavior more elegant and mature, but there was no doubt: it was Ron. Did he really change that much?  
«Home?» she repeated, stunned.  
«Why, of course!» Ron said, encircling her shoulders with his arm and pointing to a modest house, very pretty that, Hermione swore, wasn't there two minutes ago.  
«Mommy! Mommy!» she heard. Two kids approached her running and hugged her. Hermione stroke their hair, doubtful. They were a boy and a girl, they both had red hair and dark eyes. They were a few years apart and they both were beautiful.  
Laughing, they separated and began running after each other.  
«Rose! Hugo! Pay attention, don't get hurt!» Ron shouted at them, still smiling, and, holding Hermione lovingly, he brought her in the house. The girl observed the inside with amazement: all the rooms, all the furniture were her favourites from her house and the Weasley's. It seemed to her like she had entered a perfect world, coming out from her deepest wishes. Where was she?

The End

The End?


End file.
